Hinge



Dec. 12, 1939. E. E. .SUCK 2,183,413

HINGE Filed March 4; 1937 INVENTOR Sway/w, mm

Patented Dec. 12, 19.39

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 claims.

This invention pertains to hinges, and more particularly, to improvedforms which are especially suitable for mounting the doors of vehicles.

Previous to the present invention, a number of problems have arisen inconnection with the design and construction of hinges suitable for thedoors of automobiles, trains, airplanes, etc. And, it has been an Objectof my invention to provide a new and improved form of hinge constructionsuitable for such utilization.

Another objecthas been to provide an im proved form of hinge whichpermits a wide outward door swing and whichis at least semi-concealed.Another object of my invention has been to provide a streamlined type ofhinge construction.

A furtherrobject has been to devise a simple, eiiective and eiiicienttype of hinge construction 'which combines the advantages of a wide out-Ward door swing and concealed and protected operating parts.

A still further object of my invention has been to provide asemi-concealed hinge construction having a high efciency with respect toWind resistance.

These and many other objects of my invention willappear to those skilledin the art from the drawing, the specification, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top sectional View through a hinge constructed inaccordance with my invention ;this view shows the hinge in a mountedrelationship with respect toa door post and a door,

and by dotted lines shows' the position of the hinge and door when thelatter is opened;

Figure 2 is a 'top view,v partially in section, showing a detail of theconstruction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top sectional View similar to Figure 4 but showing amodied construction;

Figure 4 is a front side View in elevation of the construction shown inFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a detail of the modiedconstruction of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a further modification. f

As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, provide a pair of shankmembers IE) and l2 that l are mounted upon linner opposite edges orfaces of door and frame members I5 and I6, respectively, and extendoutwardly therefrom. Each of the Shanks lll and l2 has a flat planarfoot or attaching portion which is suitably mounted upon the door I5 byscrews or bolts II, and has an outwardly extending mainl body' portionthat forms an obtuse angle with respect to the attaching or foot portionand forms an acute angle with respect to the outer planar face of thedoo-r and post construction upon which it is mounted. 5 The extreme endof the shank' l2 is provided, as shown, with a rounded knuckle havingbearing portions adapted to receive 'a pintle pin I3.

As shown particularly in Figure 4, the pintle pin 3 is of ordinaryconstruction and is mounted '10 to extend through opposite wallsofalsmooth, rectangular form of cover or boX'member Il or I1. The cover ilpreferably has'at least three spaced-ap-art side Walls, two of which areapertured to provide bearing portions that are com- '15 plementary withthe bearing portions of the bearing butt. The cover element ilpreferably has'four spaced-apart enclosing side edges,

In the case of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 andv 2,the shank member lil :20 itself provides the cover member il, since itis rounded at its outer end to enclose the knuckle or pintle bearing ofthe shank l2 and is provided with upper and lower vend closure pieces orsides I3, see particularly Figure 2. It will be25 seen that astreamlined construction is provided and that the hinge joint portion issubstantially hidden, enclosed, or concealed by the( box-like shell Ilor Il' of the shank i0. ASince the hinge construction has an acuteanglewith respect to -`30 the plane of the door, and preferably slopesgradually in the direction of air flow, see F'gure 1, it is veryeilicient from an aerodynamic standpoint. The inclined face Il of theouter and enclosing shank member lil inclines outwardly in a backwarddirection and has a smooth contour uninterrupted by breaks in thedirection of the air stream flow. Air resistance is materially reduced.1

In Figure 3, I have shown a modified form o o hinge having athree-piece, as distinguished from the two-piece shank construction ofthe embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. In this construction, the hood orrectangular member is designated by the numeral il', see Figure 4, andis securely 45 fastened as by spot welding it to an outwardlyextendingportion of the shank member as at i9. Like the one-piece shankconstruction of IE! of the embodiment of Figure 1, the rear end of themember Il is smoothly rounded back over 50 the back face of the knuckleor hingebearing portion of the inner shank i 2. Since the cover elementl 'I' is provided with both front and rear vertical sides, theconstruction will be elicient from an aerodynamic standpoint, regardlessof 55 the direction towards which the shanks I and I2 are mounted toextend; the cover is cup-like in appearance. Figure 4 shows theappearance of this construction from the outside of the vehicle.

The cover element I'I, as shown, has a substantially uniform outerplanar surface and permits the hinge to be mounted to extend in anysuitable direction. In this construction, one portion of the cover I1 isspaced from a portion of the shank IU' to which it is attached. Sincethe three-part construction is more saving of materials, it may bepreferable from a commercial standpoint over the two-piece type ofFigures 1 and 2.

In Figure 6, the car body member I6 has been slightly concaved orcounter-sunk to permit the end of the outer cover portion I'I of thehinge construction to project closer to the door surface to morecompletely enclose the hinge shank. When the door I5 is opened, thecurved end of the element I'I can then enter the sunk portion withoutstriking the body surface.

Although I prefer to construct the members of my invention from strip orstrap plate metal material and to cold press or roll them into thedesired shaped relationships, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that many other suitable materials and methods may be employedin this connection.

Attention is called to the efficient action of the hinge construction asillustrated by the dotted lines of Figure 1. It is seen that the door I5can be opened outwardly a considerable distance beyond the post I6 togive a maximum opening for persons entering and leaving the car. Theconstruction is sturdy, strong, and eieotive, and will withstand thestrains of an outward throw of the door much better than the old hingesof unsightly outline having a high resistance to the air stream flow.The hinge or pintle may be maintained in a thoroughly greased or oiledcondition without splattering the car, because of the cover portion I1or I1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown, for example, inFigures 3, 4, and 5, the shank portion I2 extends from an attachingplate or mount portion at one end thereof at an obtuse angle withrespect thereto and terminates at its other end in a bearing portion.The outer shank element of the pair I0 has a planar body portion havinga substantially right angular relationship with respect to one endportion thereof which may be termed the attaching plate or mount portionthereof. A cup-like member I1 has inwardly projecting wall portionsadjacent opposite sides and ends thereof that are smoothly, integrally,and continuously connected to a substantially planar body portionthereof. As shown particularly in Figure 3, the body portion of thecover plate element I1 is adapted to extend substantially parallel toplanar surface `oortions of the door construction when the door is in aclosed position. The other or extending end of the body portion of theouter shank I0' is ccmplementarily nested in the cup element I Iadjacent one end thereof; the cup-like element il" extends therefrom andterminates in a pair c-f spaced-apart pintle bearing portions. The sideand end walls of the cup-like element I'I preferably enclose both theextending portions of the inner shank I2 and of the outer shank IIJ tominimize air resistance and to protect them from the elements.

Although I have shown and described certainv embodiments of my inventionin the present application, it Will appear to those skilled in the artthat many additions, omissions, subtractions, modifications, andcombinations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a hinge, a pair of shank elements, an attaching plate portionextending from one end of each of said elements and adapted to bemounted upon a suitable door and frame construction, a hinge bearingportion extending from another end of one of said shank elements, and

an enclosing shank element receiving the other vend of the other shankelement of said pair and portion and body portions extending angularlyoutwardly therefrom, said shank elements having an inner and outerrelationship with respect to each other when mounted on a suitable doorconstruction, the body portion of the inner of said shank elementsterminating at its outer end in a hinge bearing, a cup-shaped enclosingelement, the body portion and an extending end of the other of saidvshank elements being nested within said enclosing element and beingsecured thereto, said enclosing element substantially enclosing exposedportions of said pair of shank elements when the hinge is in a closedrelationship, said enclosing element extending beyond the extending endof the body portion of said` last-mentioned shank and terminating in abearing portion, and means pivotally connecting the bearing portion ofsaid enclosing element with the hinge bearing portion of saidrst-mentioned shank element.

3. In a hinge, apair of shank elements, each shank element terminatingat one end in an attaching plate portion, one of said attaching plateportions being adapted to be mounted on a door frame and the other ofsaid attaching plate portions being adapted to be mounted upon a door,one of said shank elements having a body portion terminating in a hingebearing portion, said body portion of said last-mentioned shank elementextending outwardly at an angle with respect to said attaching plateportion thereof and beyond a door construction upon which it is adaptedto be mounted, the second of said shank elements having a body portionextending outwardly at an angle with respect to its attaching plateportion and making an acute angle with respect to the body portion ofsaid other shank element when said pair of shank elements are in amounted position with respect to the door construction and the doorconstruction is in a closed relationship, a cup-like enclosing elementhaving side wall and end Wall portions extending therefrom and beingweld-connected to and extending beyond and providing a continuation ofan outer end of the body portion of said second said shank elementshaving an attaching platel shank element, said enclosing element beingmounted over and receiving the body portion of said second-mentionedshankelement within the connes of at least four wall 'portions thereofand being rigidly secured thereto, said enclosing element having a pairof spaced-apart bearing portions, and means pivotally connecting saidvstructure, the inner of said shank elements having a body portionextending at an obtuse angle with respect to its attaching plateportion, thel outer of said shanks having a shorter body portionextending at a right angle with respect to its attaching plate portion,said outer shank having a cup-like cover portion enclosing the saidextending` portions of said pair of shank elements, said cover portionhaving a planar outer surface extending substantially parallel to thedoor structure when the latter is in a closed relationship,

said inner shank element and said cover portion having cooperating hingebearing portions.

5. In a hinge, a, pair of shank elements, each of said shank elementshaving an attaching plate portion adjacent one end thereof, said shankelements having body portions having an innerouter relationship withrespectv to each other when said shank elements are mounted on asuitshank element.

6. In a hinge, a pair of shank elements, an atable door structure, theinner of said shanks having'a body portion extending at an obtuse anglewith respect to its attaching plate portion and terminating in a hingebearing portion, the outer of said shanks having a body portionextending at a right angle with respect to its saidattaching plateportion, the outer of said shanks having a shorter body portion and anlenclosing element extending beyond and providing an offset continuationlof an outer endoi said shorter body portion, said enclosing elementhaving continuous Wall portions substantially enclosing its ownextending body portion and the extendinglbody portion of the other ofsaid shank elements as Well as said hinge bearing portion of said innertaching portion extending from one end of each of said elements andadapted to be mounted upon a suitable door and frame construction, ahinge y portion extending from another end of one of lsaid shankelements, and an enclosing shank element receiving the other end of theother shank element of said pair and being secured thereto,

said enclosing element having a portion extending beyond an extendingend of said other shank element and having a hinge portion on suchextending portion, a hinge connection between the hinge portion of saidfirst-mentioned shank element and the hinge portion of said enclosingelement,

said enclosing element substantially enclosing exposed portions of saidpair of shank elements when the hinge is in a closed relationship.

EDWIN E. sLICK.

